Bida to set up lounge for investors at Dhaka airport
Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida) is going to set up a lounge at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to facilitate foreign investors’ use of the airport and fast deliver related services.
“We are going to float a tender on setting up the lounge and we will be able to open its doors for the investors within three to four months,” Kazi M Aminul Islam, executive chairman of Bida, told The Daily Star.
He did not state how much it would cost to establish the lounge. The move is aimed at attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) and building up the country’s image among the global business community.
Bangladesh could manage to attract only $2.58 billion last fiscal year, a lowly figure because of inadequate infrastructure and poor ranking in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index.
The country ranked 176th among 190 countries in the index in 2018, the lowest ranking for a South Asian nation. Investors travelling to visit Bangladesh will have to inform Bida in advance to receive the service.
“We will receive them from the boarding lounge to help them avoid irrelevant hassles at the airport,” Islam said.
SIM cards will be provided to the investors so that they can communicate with their business partners, counterparts and offices as well as families back home.
Officials of the civil aviation, customs, immigration and other departments will be available at the lounge to help investors complete airport-related formalities.
Two officials, one male and another female, will be deployed at the lounge to provide the 24-hour service.
The foreign investors who are already in Bangladesh will also be eligible for the service.
“If top officials of global brands want to get the service at the lounge, he or she will also be able to avail it,” Islam said.
A meeting among the departments concerned, including civil aviation, immigration and customs, was held on setting up the lounge and all entities expressed solidarity with Bida, he said.
A letter was forwarded to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) seeking to designate a space at the airport. Nurul Alam, a director of the CAAB, said it received letters from Bida and the civil aviation ministry regarding the new lounge.
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